Life is set to get interesting
tomorrow for everyone’s favourite Krispy Kreme loving minister Joe
Tripoi, his new boss Morris Iemma and shopping centre giant Westfield,
with the release of ICAC’s inquiry in the closure of the Orange Grove
Shopping Centre at Liverpool.

Crikey readers will recall that
Orange Grove was forced to close last year with the loss of over 500
jobs following action by both the NSW Government and Westfield. The
inquiry into the closure examined allegations of political interference
by senior members of the NSW government – and whether Westfield used
political donations to influence the NSW government to shut its booming
and popular rival.

The report is likely to be a cracker, with
now roads minister Tropoi, former Carr chief-of-staff Graham Wedderburn
and Westfield government relations spinner and former Keating staffer
Mark Ryan, all set to receive a negative report card.

The
question for Premier Morris Iemma is: will he reward Tropoi for
delivering vital numbers during the recent leadership battle, or will
he cut him loose to preserve his cleanskin image?

Whatever the
decision, the mateship of the NSW ALP – and Morris Iemma’s week-old
leadership – is set to be sternly tested over the next few days.